Maasai Mara National Reserve

The Maasai Mara National Reserve is widely regarded as the crown jewel of Kenya’s wildlife conservation areas, spanning over 1,500 square kilometers of quintessential African savannah. Located in the southwest, its name pays homage to the ancestral Maasai people and the “Mara” (Maa for “spotted”) landscape, characterized by rolling grasslands dotted with distinctive flat-topped acacia trees. This vast ecosystem is world-renowned for its exceptional density of apex predators—including one of the largest lion populations in Africa—as well as the “Big Five.” Whether you are traversing the open plains or the riverine forests along the Mara and Talek rivers, the reserve offers a raw, immersive look at nature where the horizons feel endless and the wildlife is unrivaled.

The most iconic chapter of the Mara’s story is the annual Great Migration, a natural spectacle often called the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” Between July and October, more than 1.5 million wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles thunder across the plains from the Serengeti in search of greener pastures, braving the crocodile-infested waters of the Mara River in a dramatic display of life and survival. Beyond the thrill of the migration, the reserve serves as a vibrant cultural landscape where visitors can engage with the Maasai community, learning about their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle and their enduring connection to the land. From sunrise hot air balloon flights to intimate evening game drives, the Maasai Mara delivers the definitive African safari experience.